


It Takes a Village

by icandrawamoth



Series: RP-inspired [3]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Children, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Graduation, Inspired by Roleplay/Roleplay Adaptation, Parent-Child Relationship, Roleplaying Character, School
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-03
Updated: 2014-06-03
Packaged: 2018-02-03 06:16:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1734140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icandrawamoth/pseuds/icandrawamoth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's an emotional time as Les Amis attend the graduation of the first child raised in their group, Combeferre and Éponine's daughter Amelia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Takes a Village

**Author's Note:**

  * For [textsfromeponinet on Tumblr](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=textsfromeponinet+on+Tumblr).



> Inspired by all the graduation goings-on and based on the character of Amelia as used in roleplay threads between myself and textsfromeponinet on Tumblr. <3

The clock above the doors reads 2:58. In two minutes, it’s going to happen. Combeferre is going to watch his little girl march into the gym along with the rest of her class, give a speech, and receive her diploma. It’s hard to believe it’s been eighteen years since that Christmas when Éponine surprised him with the news that they were going to be parents for the first time. Beside him, his wife leans against him, clutching his arm as if she is thinking the same thing. He squeezes her hand.

The gym where the ceremony will take place is full of murmurs and restless movement as friends and family gather and wait for the event to begin. Combeferre and Éponine are seated in the rows of chairs on the ground designated for parents while a glance behind shows among the bleachers filled with well-wishers an entire row filled by Les Amis and their significant others and children, and he can’t help but smile. Amelia is the only one of their group’s children graduating this year, the first, but of course all of her “uncles” and “aunts,” their village which has helped raise her, are here to cheer her on.

Aside from Combeferre and Éponine, Enjolras seems the most affected. He is Amelia’s godfather and has always been closest to her. Now he is sniffling already, scrubbing ineffectually at his face as Grantaire wraps an arm tightly around him. A few rows above, Combeferre can see Marianne rolling her eyes as she watches her dads, poking Harry who sits beside her with the rest of the kids and pointing out the display. Combeferre catches his son’s eye and gives him a look he hopes conveys, _Be nice, today is about your sister._ He gets only an eyeroll in return, but then the music is starting, Éponine tugging on his arm and whispering “Here they come!” as the crowd stands and turns to face the door.

Combeferre’s hands itch for a camera, but the others had made him promise not to bother and to enjoy the moment while they took care of it. Jehan had been designated official photographer, and a quick look shows him doing his job, crouched by the bottom corner of the bleachers closest to the door, camera at the ready. He shoots a thumbs-up at Combeferre before making a waving motion with his arms to direct his attention back towards the graduates. Combeferre smiles his appreciation and looks up again.

Éponine is squeezing his hand tightly as she murmurs, “Where is she?”

“Toward the end,” Combeferre answers as they watch another pair of black-gowned teenagers move past, stopping briefly for photographs as they enter. “That’s what she said.”

His wife nods, and the two of them watch as more pairs enter, clapping politely for friends of Amelia’s. Then – there she is. He can see her lined up at the door, next to come in. She stands tall, her black gown and red stole draped over her perfectly, the bottom of her purple skirt just barely peeking out beneath. Her long black curls fall gracefully over her shoulders, and there’s a grin on her face; she glows.

Combeferre is taken aback, filled with pride, at how much she looks like her mother. But she’s so much her own person, too, his little girl suddenly not so little, about to graduate and face the world on her own.

Abruptly too choked up to speak, he can only squeeze Éponine’s hand and point as their daughter moves forward. He hears his wife suck in a breath as she squeezes back.

Amelia is walking with her boyfriend. Combeferre can still remember so vividly the first time she brought him over. Combeferre had been hesitant about the boy from the start, wanting to give him a chance but frankly ready to destroy him if he ever hurt his little girl. Even now he nearly has to suppress a little laugh at the memory of the boy’s face after Combeferre had given him his “shovel talk.” But things had turned out, well, thankfully. They’ve been together for two years now and are planning on attending the same college. Combeferre hopes they stay together, that their relationship stays as strong and makes them as happy as his and Éponine’s.

Amelia and her boyfriend stop arm and arm just in front of them, pausing for the school’s photographer and Jehan and the others with cameras pointed at them. Combeferre gives a little wave, and Amelia’s smile widens as she spots them, waving back before they’re moving again, toward the front of the gym several rows away and taking their seats together.

The rest of the class filters in, only a few more pairs, and the audience is seated. The principal takes to the podium and extols the virtues of the graduating class. The class president, one of Amelia’s friends, gives a speech thanking everyone who helped she and her classmates to succeed and wishing them luck for the future. The band and choir perform inspirational pieces.

Under the melodies of the second chorus of “Defying Gravity,” Éponine lays her head on Combeferre’s shoulder and breathes, “I still can’t quite believe this is happening.”

“I know,” Combeferre answers, closing his eyes briefly as he touches a kiss to her temple. “And it won’t be so many years before Harry is up there, too.”

“They grow up so fast…”

Combeferre nods and kisses her again as the choir winds down and returns to their seats. His heart jumps as the principal returns briefly to the podium to announce the student address by the class salutatorian, Amelia Combeferre. Éponine sits up straight again, her hand clutching Combeferre’s even more fiercely than before, though his grip is just as tight.

Amelia stands from her place among her classmates and gracefully approaches the stage, accepting the principal’s hand to steady her up the stairs, and takes her place behind the podium. She smiles widely at the audience, her eyes landing briefly on her parents before moving to the rest of the Amis and back over the rest of the crowd.

Combeferre is so proud of her. Salutatorian is such a huge accomplishment, and it still makes his heart twinge remembering the night only a few weeks ago when Amelia had come home with tears streaming down her face thinking herself a failure for not getting the stop spot in her class. Combeferre and Éponine had scrambled to assure her that they still loved her so much and were impressed and proud of her accomplishments. Combeferre had explained to his wide-eyed daughter that once upon a time he had been considered one of the smartest students in his class, but he hadn’t even been in the top ten when he graduated. She’s at peace with it now, he thinks, though not one hundred percent. Amelia is ambitious, determined, always striving to be the best – it’s one of her finest features.

Combeferre listens raptly to her speech, curious. He and Éponine had offered to help her with it, to proofread it at least, but she had refused both of them beyond asking vaguely for advice here and there. Now, as she speaks he understands why she had wanted it to be a surprise.

She starts with the standard things, congratulating her class on all they have achieved and how far they’ve come. Thanking their parents, teachers, family, and friends in general for all they’ve done to help. Expertly tying in an inspiration quote here and there. She is an excellent speaker, bright and engaging.

Then she pauses as she looks up, finding Combeferre and Éponine in the audience, giving a smile that’s all for them before moving on to Les Amis, the grin widening even more. “I’m lucky,” she says to the crowd. “Like, everyone, I have a mom and dad who love me and are always there for me, and my little brother, who’s not always as annoying as he can be.” Combeferre outright laughs as he hears Harry’s squawk of protest. “My biological family isn’t that big, but there have always been so many people around who cared for me. My parents come from a big, close-knit group of friends, and all of them have been like uncles and aunts to me. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and for me that was certainly true. Thank you all for always being there for me, through the good times and bad. I couldn’t have done it without a single one of you.”

She smiles at them once more before returning to her seat to raucous applause. A glance back shows Combeferre that half of Les Amis are in tears, all of them clapping enthusiastically. “She’s amazing,” Éponine says tearfully from beside him. “Everything she said was true, and she wrote that all on her own. I can’t-”

Combeferre wraps his arm around her. “Our daughter is amazing,” he agrees softly. “She is going to go so far. She deserves everything. It’s all right.” He nuzzles his wife gently as he sees tears starting to fall again and reaches for her purse to hand her some tissues.

There’s a speech from the school district superintendent next, then the address from the valedictorian, before it’s time for diplomas. The students file out the side door of the gym to line up, and Combeferre watches from the corner of his eye as Jehan sneaks up the center aisle to get a better position for his picture-taking.

“As we present each student with their diploma,” the principal announces, “please feel free to cheer, scream, ring bells, whatever.” He waves his hand with a little grin. “Do your thing.”

Combeferre darts a glance behind him to where Les Amis are giving each other furtive glances. He knows they’re planning someone, of course they are, but he doesn’t know what. Amelia will take whatever it is with good grace, naturally, but he hopes they don’t embarrass her too much.

The line proceeds much as it did before, everyone biding their time to watch their student cross the stage and shake the hands of the principal, superintendent, and school board president before receiving his or her diploma and a rose, pausing for a picture before returning to their seat. Combeferre and Éponine clap for their daughter’s friends, and Combeferre lets out a whoop when her boyfriend crosses, watching with approval as Jehan snaps a few pictures of him.

Then the principal announces, “Amelia Rose Combeferre.”

Combeferre and Éponine have barely started to clap and cheer on their own before the ruckus starts up behind them and they turn to see Les Amis in full tilt, half of them holding noisemakers of some kind, Grantaire with a set of cymbals, the rest just clapping and screaming as loudly as they can. “ _We love you, Amelia!_ ” Bahorel belts out.

Onstage, Amelia has gone pink, but she grins back at them as she accepts her diploma, blowing a kiss as the rest of the audience giggles. Jehan’s hand is a blur on the shutter button as she poses in front of him before returning to her seat, leaning over to kiss her boyfriend as he wraps his arm around her.

The ceremony marches on, the rest of the class receiving their diplomas before principal says a final few words and releases them. The audience stays in the place as the students exit in their pairs, some orderly and upright as before, others skipping merrily now that it’s all over. More pictures are taken as Amelia walks past. Just before the door, her boyfriend swings her into his arms, prompting a delighted giggle as he carries her out.

When everyone is gone, Combeferre and Éponine turn to look at each other. “So that’s it,” Éponine murmurs. “Our first baby is all done with high school and moving on into the world.”

Combeferre nods as he pulls her into his arms. “That’s right. But it’s not like we’ll never see her again.”

“I know, but it won’t be quite the same, will it?” she murmurs against his chest.

“No,” he agrees softly, “but I can’t wait to watch what she does next.”

They pull apart, smiling at each other, and lock hands as they exit the gym and go to find her. They spot her dark curls on the other side of the commons, already surrounded by the huge knot that is Les Amis.

“Parents coming through!” Joly announces when he catches sight of them, and the crowd parts like a well-oiled machine. Amelia stands in the center, practically glowing with all the attention, a practical bouquet in her hands from all the single flowers her admirers have given her.

Combeferre pulls from behind his back the ones he and Éponine had brought and she accepts them with a smile, murmuring, “Thanks, Dad.”

“Congratulations, sweetheart,” he murmurs, determined not to break down in front of her. But she smiles at him as if she understands, handing the flowers off to Bossuet as she allows him to pull her into a tight embrace. “We’re so proud of you.”

A moment later, Éponine’s arms are around them, too, and he can hear the tears in her voice as she whispers, “I love you so much, honey,” and their daughter whispers, “I love you guys, too.” And now they’re both crying, and Combeferre can hear Jehan still clicking away as he circles them with the camera, but he doesn’t care. He can’t wait to get home and look at all the pictures, but for now he’s just going to enjoy this.

“Group hug!” someone shouts, and then the rest of the Amis are pressing in from all sides, arms everywhere.

“Give the camera to someone else and get in here, Jehan!” another voice says, and he must obey, because there’s a little more pressure from one side, and everything suddenly just feels so complete. Sometimes Combeferre feels like Amelia’s not completely his, and that’s true to an extent, they’re all her family. But he wouldn’t have it any other way.


End file.
